What does belabor mean?
Belabor is a verb meaning to treat a subject at excessive, tiresome length — to keep explaining or arguing a point well beyond what is necessary. It is most often used critically: a speaker who belabors the point has already made it but continues repeating it, testing the patience of an audience. The verb also preserves an older, now archaic sense of striking or beating someone physically, reflecting its origin in words for hard labor. Belabor entered English in the late sixteenth century from the prefix "be-" attached to "labor," itself from Latin "laborare," to toil. It is spelled "belabour" in British English and is somewhat more frequent in American usage. Because it names a familiar social irritation — being lectured at length about something obvious — it remains a useful, precise word for writers and speakers who want to criticize verbosity with a single well-chosen term.
verbTo argue or discuss something at excessive, tedious length; to keep dwelling on a point long after it has been made. It can also mean to attack or beat someone physically, a now largely archaic sense.
- To discuss, explain, or emphasize something at excessive and wearisome length.
- To beat or assault physically (archaic).
"The professor belabored the same point for forty minutes, long after the students had stopped taking notes."
"There's no need to belabor the point — we all understood you the first time."
"The critic accused the novelist of belaboring themes that a lighter touch would have served better."
Belabor comes straight from the Latin "labor" — so when someone belabors a point, they're literally making you work for it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of belabor
Belabor was formed in English in the late sixteenth century by attaching the prefix "be-" to "labor," producing a verb that originally meant to work upon or beat something vigorously. Its root is the Latin "laborare," meaning to toil or strive, which also gives English such related words as laborious, elaborate, and collaborate. Over time the physical sense of beating faded, while the figurative sense of expending excessive effort on an argument or explanation became dominant.
Related word forms
How belabor is actually used
Standard spelling in British English is "belabour." The word carries a mildly critical connotation — to accuse someone of belaboring something is to suggest their treatment of it is redundant or heavy-handed. The physical sense of beating is obsolete except in literary or historical contexts.
Easily confused with belabor
"Labor" simply means work or exertion, while "belabor" means to dwell on something at tiresome length.